


Together We’re Alone

by cordeliadelayne



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Gen, Introspection, dean introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-10-05
Packaged: 2018-08-18 13:52:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8164186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: Winchester reunions never go quite to plan.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nietie](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=nietie).



> Written for nietie who gave the prompt “birthday”. Set around Lazarus Rising. 
> 
> Originally posted to Livejournal in 2009.

“What’s this?” Dean asked kicking the door shut behind him, his hands full. “Somebody’s birthday?”

He looked curiously at Bobby’s kitchen table which was now clear of its usual collection of dusty tomes and empty beer bottles and instead had a fancy looking cake and some plates laid out on it.

Sam shrugged. He was sitting at the table, fidgeting with the knife in his hand. “You’re back.” He looked anywhere but at Dean. “I thought it was something to celebrate.”

Dean watched him with pursed lips, unsure of what to say. “Huh. Happy Birthday to me, then,” he finally said with a grin. Sam smiled weakly back at him.

They stayed like that one awkward beat too long before Dean went over to the counter and started unpacking the groceries. He’d been itching to get out of the house for a while, to take a walk and clear his head. And of course Bobby had seen it as the perfect opportunity to send Dean on an epic errand quest that had sent him two towns over looking for obscure ingredients he didn’t think Bobby even knew how to use. He’d bitched about it on his way out, as had been expected, but really he’d been grateful to have something useful to do. Some days he was glad Bobby knew him so well.

He could hear Sam cutting the cake as the knife scraped against the plate and he shuddered. He was glad to be back for his brother’s sake, but there was still too much he didn’t understand. He still felt wrong, somehow, like his whole body was one itch that needed scratching. And he had no idea how he could ever explain that to Sam. In fact he was certain that he never would. That he’d never tell him about Hell or what he’d done there. There was no way Sam could ever understand that kind of darkness.

He kept unpacking the groceries, trying to focus on that simple task and block out everything else. There was still too much that he didn’t know and if Sam were telling the truth, if it wasn’t him that got Dean out of Hell? He shook his head to clear it; then there was even more trouble in store for them.

“You wanna grab a couple of beers, boy?” Bobby asked, materialising in the doorway. Dean nodded absently and handed them over, snagging another for himself. Drink. Drink was good.

Bobby and Dean joined Sam at the table, Dean’s eyes darting everywhere but at his brother. Too afraid of what he might see there. Too afraid of what he might not.

“Looks good,” Bobby said. He took his plate and began to dig in. “Tastes pretty damn good too,” he said over a mouthful of cake.

Dean relaxed marginally and began to eat his own piece. “Damn, Sam, this _is_ good.” He helped himself to another large slice and began to dig in with gusto.

Sam smiled happily. “Knew you’d like it.” He picked carelessly at his own slice, watching Dean through hooded eyes. He was so glad to have Dean back. It was everything he’d been thinking of for months on end. But part of him was annoyed that it hadn’t been because of him; that Dean owed someone else thanks for his rescue. He licked at his fingers, blocking out the tentative chatter about the Impala Dean and Bobby were trying to keep going. He needed to work out what he was going to say to Dean. There were just some things that his brother would never understand. There was no way Dean could understand the kind of darkness he was battling every day.

“Sam, hey, Sam…” Dean kicked Sam under the table and Sam yelped. “Are you listening?”

Sam shook his head. “No, sorry, what?”

Dean and Bobby exchanged a glance that set Sam on edge. Already it felt like he was being squeezed out.

“I think I’ve got a few ideas about where we can look to find out how Dean got out. Could do with a bit of help with the research though, if you’re up to it?”

“Of course I am,” Sam said, trying to seem unconcerned. Suddenly he had the feeling that Bobby and Dean had already secreted themselves away to talk about him. What had Bobby told Dean before they’d turned up and found him?

“Right,” Dean said. His tone sounded anything but convinced and Sam had a really hard time swallowing his response. This was supposed to be about celebrating Dean’s return, not anything else. He needed to pull his act together.

At least until he could sneak away later.

“Lead the way,” Sam told Bobby, standing up quickly and knocking his chair to the floor. Bobby stood up and picked up the chair as Sam headed out of the room. He shook his head and took the dirty plates over to the sink, piling them on top of some others he hadn’t quite got around to washing yet. These boys were like his own, but some days he just wanted to smack their heads together, good and proper.

“What happened while I was gone?” Dean asked Bobby, not for the first time.

Bobby sighed and looked more than twice his age. Felt it too. “I don’t know, son. But whatever it was, it’s going to give your tale a run for its money.”

With a last shake of his head Bobby went out to join Sam. Time to stand about and think was in pretty short supply, especially if the signs were right. They had one hell of a fight on the way; he could feel it in his bones.

Dean frowned as he was left alone. This was supposed to be a celebration of his return, but it felt very much like they were all just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Good things did not happen. And they certainly did not happen to the Winchesters.

He licked his fork clean and finished off his beer before grabbing another from the fridge and downing half of that before he joined the others in their research.

Whatever was coming, he just hoped Sam would be at his side. At least he had that much.


End file.
